Train hits truck, 2 killed

The wrecked truck trailer and its cassava chip cargo, hurled into the trackside canal when hit by a train at a railway crossing in Muang district, Udon Thani, on Monday night. The train driver and engineer were killed. (Photo: Rescuemetha28 Foundation)

The train driver and the engineer were killed when their train hit a truck at a railway crossing in Udon Thani on Monday night.

The violent impact derailed the train, which was heavily damaged. The train hit the truck's trailer, which was thrown into the canal beside the tracks.

The train driver and the train engineer were both killed.

There were about 100 passengers in the train's nine cars. Some received minor injuries.

The trailer truck driver did not stop at the crossing, but drove over it because the safety barrier was not  down. The truck was halfway across when he heard a train warning horn and then felt a huge impact as it crashed into the trailer.

The truck driver was adamant the safety barrier was not down across the road. If it was, he would have stopped, he said.

Police were investigating.